Cotton checker and cultivator.



R. HAMILTON. COTTON GHEGKEB. AND CULTIVATOR. APPLIOATIO FILED NOV. 10, 1908.

946,509. Patented Jan. 11 1 910.

fyuzz uulll v) Lm W/ NESSES NVENTO? YQ/z ma ,Y H055??? HHM/L 770A/ v By ROBERT HAMILTON, OF GOULDBUSK, TEXAS, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-'HALF TO HENRY O. V.

HUMBLE, OF GOULDBUSK, TEXAS.

COTTON CHECKER AND CULTIVATOR.

T 0 all whom it may concern: l Be it known that I, ROBERT HAMILTON, a j citizen of the United States, and a resident of Gouldbusk, in the county of Coleman and State of Texas, have made certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton Checkers and Cultivators, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to improvements in j devices for cultivating cotton and it conx sists in the constructions, combinations and arrangements claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device by means of which the width of the hills or rows may be adjusted to suit the requirements of various grades of soil.

A further object of my invention is to provide means by which the plows of the cultivator may be simultaneously raised or lowered, and when so raised or lowered may be kept in their adjusted positions.

A further object of my invention is to provide a novel means for mounting the spacing and cutter wheels of the cultivator. l

Other objects and advantages will appear in the following specification and will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of .my device. Fig. 2 is a view partly in section along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction 1 of the arrow. Fig. 3 is a detail view showing the method of mount-ing the cutter or spacer wheels. Fig. 4 is an edge view at right angles to Fig. 3.

Referring now to Fig. 1 I have shown therein a center beam 1, at the rear end of i which is fastened a spring 2 bearing a seat 3. Passing through the forward end of the i center beam 1 is a transverse rod 4, which is hereinafter described and preferably of round steel about an inch and a quarter in diameter, while a similar rod 5 is disposed between the seat and the frontrod 4. rlhe rods 4 and 5 also pass through the plow beams 6 and 7, which are secured to these rods by means of the set screws 6 and 7. At the outer ends of the transverse rods are located the parallel spacer beams 3 j and 9 which are also adjustably secured to Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed November 10, 1908.

Patented Jan. 11, 1910.

Serial No. 461,883.

the rods 4 and 5 by means of set screws 8 and 9 respectively.

In order to provide bearing clamps for the movable cutter wheels, I have arranged the clamps 10, 11, 12 and 13, through which thev rod 5 passes. These clamps also constitute spacing members between the center beam 1 and the beams 6 and 7 on each side thereof. Both the clamps 10 and 11 are attached on one side of the center beam by means of suitable bolts, while the clamps 12 and 13 are attached on the other side. Each clamp is provided with a semicircular groove adapted to register with a similar groove in the adjacent clamping member, thereby providing bearings for the vertical shafts of the critter wheels. The outside beams 8 and 9 are also provided with detachable clamping members 14 and 15, which are of similar construction to the clamps 10-13, and form bearings for vertical axles for the outside cutter wheels.

The cutter or spacer wheels themselves are made as shown in Figs. 3 and 4. 'Ihey consist of cylindrical disks 16 having sharpened beveled edges 17. These disks are fiat on their inner sides 18 and on their outer sides are reamed out at 19. The supporting member for the wheel consists of a casting 20, having a V-shaped slot 21 therein arranged to receive the wheel and an extended arm 22 in which the aXle 23 of the wheel is journaled. A. shaft 24 extends upwardly from the casting 20 and is arranged to be journaled in the boxing formed by the clamping members 10-13 and 14 and 15 already described. The upper ends of the shafts 24 are square as shown at 25 in Fig. 4. The four upright shafts are shown in Fig. r1 at 26, 27, 2S and 29. In order to give these critter' wheels a turning motion on their vertical axles I arrange a series of levers 26', 27, 23 and 29, which are attached to the upper squared ends of the shafts and are all pivotally attached to a common connecting rod 30,as shown in Fig. 1. The rod 30 may be moved transversely of the ma chine by means of the parallel levers 31 and 32, pivoted to-said rod 30 at one end and at the other end to a foot lever 33, which is provided with the upright foot rests 33a and 33b at its ends. The levers 31 and 32 are each pivoted at their central parts to the uprights 34 and 35 respectively. It will be seen that on pushing the toot lever 33 to the right or to the left all four cutter wheels will be moved simultaneously to the left or to the right respectively.

Pivotally secured in the slots 6EL and 7FL ot the beams (l and '7 respectively, are the plow standards 36 bearing the plows 37. To each of the standards there is pivotally attached an upwardly inclined link 3S, which is adapted to pass through inclined slots 39 in the respective beams 6 and 7 and in a raised portion 40 of the beams. The link 3S is provided with a series of holes at its upper end arranged to receive the. end ot a transverse rod 41, which may be adjustably secured to said links by means of the nuts on the end of the rod. Between the links 3S ot the respective plow beams is a yoke which has the arms 42 and 43, through which the rod 4l passes at one end and which are both pivotally connected to a cross lever 44 pivoted at 45 to a curved rod 4G, through which the rod 4l also passes. The rod 4G is pivotally attached. to the lower end of an upright handle 47, which is journaled on a horizontal. axis 48 consist-ing of the rounded portion of the transverse beam 49, which is supported by the stand ards 34 and 35. rom an inspection of Fig. 2 it will be seen that when the handle 47 is pulled toward the rear by the driver ot' the vehicle, the rod 46 will be thrown torwardly, thereby pushing forwardly the links 38 and raising t-he plows. It will be ob served that in order for the plows to tall back again after being once raised, considerable torce must be exercised through the various levers, since they are arranged in such a manner that certain components ot this force are inevitably7 lost in reactions against t-he trame itself. On the other hand, this arrangement provides means for increasing the power exerted by the lever 47, so that the plows can be readily moved. This arrangement does not necessitate the use of a lock, since by frictional engagement of the parts the plow will remain in any position in which the lever is placed.

At the front and rear ends of each plow beam are the cutter wheels 50, supported in the slotted arms 5l and arranged to be dragged behind their pivotal axes 52, while at. the rear ends of the plow beams (i and 7 are the rollers 58 similarly mounted on slotted arms 54 and movable on vertical axes The front cutter wheel is held by a clamping member 57 secured by bolts 58 to the plow beam. Pivotally attached to the rod 4 is the tongue 59.

From the foregoing' description of the various parts the operation or' my device can be readily understood. In using this eultivator or checker on bottom land the cutter wheels or spacers may be spaced to provide hills or rows twenty-live inches wide. Gn the up-land. however, the rows should be narrower. Perhaps twenty or even sixteen inches in width will suffice. All that is necessary to do is to loosen the set screws t5', 7. 8 and 5) and move the beams (i, 7, S and 9 inwardly the required distance upon the rods 4 and 5. The set screws may be 'then again tightened and the machine worked with the spacer wheels in proper positions. In order to permit the adjustment of the beams S and 9 I arrange a series of holes 60 adapted to receive bolts Gl which are passed down through the ends of the levers 26 and 29 and which may be placed in any of the holes 60 to conform with the sidewise movement of the beam. The arrangement of the foot lever provides a convenient device for turning the cutter wheels on their vertical axes simultaneously. This is especially desirable in turning corners, or in effecting a cut ot some width when the foot may be held against one of the foot rests, slightly turning the cutter and causing it to proceed forwardly with a slightI inclination, thereby widening the cut.

The method of mounting the cutter wheels is particularly advantageous. They may be easily removed by withdrawing the bolt 23, and the provision ot the slot 2l keeps the wheel in alinement and acts at the same time to scrape the mud or dirt which has collected thereon. thereby leaving the cutter always clean and sharp.

T am aware that other :t'orms of the device based upon the same general idea might be made, but I consider as my own and desire to claim all such modifications as :t'airly fall within the spirit and scope ot the invention.

l claiml. In a cotton checker and cultivator, a center beam, parallel plow beams secured thereto, cutter wheels pivotally mounted between said center beam and said plow beams, other cutter wheels adjustable relatively to said first-named cutter wheels for spacing purposes, vertical axes .tor said cutter wheels, and means for simultaneously turning all otl said cutter wheels upon their vertical axes.

2. In a cotton checker and cultivator, a center beam, a plurality of cutter wheels arranged in a transverse row and provided with vertical. axes` means for adjusting certain of said cutter wheels relatively to the others for spacing purposes, levers attached to the ends of said vertical axes, a common bar pivotally attached to all of said levers, and a foot lever connected with said bar and arranged when operated to simultaneously turn all of said cutters upon their axes.

3. In a cotton checker and cultivator, a central beam, a plurality of sets of cutter Wheels arranged in a transverse roW and provided with vertical axes, one set of said Cutter Wheels being movable only about their axes and the other being adjustable relatively7 to the first set, levers attached to the ends of each of the vertical axes, a common bar pivotally attached to all of said levers and a foot lever connected with said bar and arranged when operated to simultaneously turn all of said cutters upon their axes.

ROBERT HAMILTON. Witnesses:

T. S. MABEN, E. V. HOMMONS. 

